Dead after his career-best 154

A village cricket captain collapsed shortly after scoring a career best 154 at Somerset.

Shaun French, 39, batted for most of his side — Barrington Cricket Club — innings and was supposed to keep wickets before he collapsed on his way out from the pavilion yesterday.

Despite efforts by an umpire and other players to revive the father of five-year-old twin girls, French did not recover from a suspected heart attack.

Colleagues at the club paid tribute to French, a management accountant, who opened the batting.